Combination lock



Jlm L. s. DEAL ET'AL 2,120,142

COMBINATION LOCK Filed Jan; e. 1938 Patented June 7, 1938 UNITED STATES COMBINATION LOCK Leroy S. Deal, Canton, Ohio, and Oman Hulbert, Mich.

Application January 6,

7 Claims.

The invention relates to combination locks and more particularly to mechanism adapted to be attached to the knob spindle of an ordinary door latch in such manner that operation of the knob spindle is prevented until the combination lock is operated.

The present invention is an improvement upon the construction of Combination locks disclosed in Deal Patent No. 925,688.

An important object of the invention is the provision of a lock of the character generally referred to in which a plurality of notched lock disks are journalled upon the outer knob spindle of the ordinary door latch, a locking plate being fixed upon said spindle normally holding the same against rotation until the lock disks are set up so that the notches therein are lined up to receive a movable projection whichnormally holds the locking plate against movement.

Another object is to provide allock of this character in which each lock disk is associated with a toothed disk adapted to be rotated by means of a flexible spring pawl operated by a push button.

A further object is the provision of such a lock in which all of the lock disks are automatically returned to the initial position with each operation of the outer knob spindle so that the lock is again in position to be operated by setting the disks in the proper combination.

Another object is to provide a movable button adapted to hold the lock in unlocked condition when desired.

A further object is to provide a push button adapted to return all of the lock disks to the initial position when desired.

The above objects together with others which will be apparent from the drawing and following description or which may be later referred to may be attained by constructing the improved combination lock in the manner illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is an elevation of the lock showing the parts in the locked position;

Fig. 2, a similar view showing the parts in the position they assume when the combination has been set and the knob spindle started to turn in a direction to unlock the latch;

Fig. 3, a similar view showing the parts in the position they assume when the knob spindle has been turned to the unlocked position;

Fig. 4, an edge elevation of the improved lock showing the same attached to a door;

Fig. 5, a fragmentary sectional view of the mov- F. Deal,

1938, Serial No. 183,652

to similar parts depending oblong portion II to house the push buttons and spring pawls operated thereby which set up the disks as will be later described in detail.

The case is adapted to be secured to a door, a portion of which is indicated at l2, as by the screws or bolts I3, and to be so positioned that the outer knob spindle I4 of the ordinary door latch indicated generally at IE will be extended through the center of the circular portion of the case. r

The 'outer knob spindle I4 may be provided with the usual door knob 16 and the inner knob spindle I! may be connected to the outer knob spindle in usual and well-known manner so as to permit the inner spindle to be freely rotated at any time whether the lock is in the locked or unlocked position.

A segmental locking plate indicated generally at 18 is fixed to the inner end portion of the outer knob spindle Mand the inner knob spindle I1 is swivelled upon said outer spindle and provided with a laterally disposed stud !9 adapted to contact a longitudinally disposed stud 20' carried by the locking plate l8.

Any desired number of lock disks 2! and corresponding toothed disks 22 may be journalled around the outer knob spindle. In the form of lock shown in the drawing four sets of such disks are provided.

Each-toothed disk is provided with a central hollow boss 23 fixed thereon and the accompanying lock disk 2| is provided with a central aperture 24 which receives said boss.

A peripheral groove 25 is formed in the boss to receive the coiled inner end 26 of a spring 21 which thus holds the lock disk uponthe corresponding toothed disk.

A pin 28 is carried by each toothed disk and may be'selectively received in any one of the ten apertures .29 in the corresponding lock disk. The

withdrawn or unlocked. Upon rotating the knob spindle in the opposite position the parts are all moved back to the initial position shown in Fig. 1 when the lock is ready for operation again as above described.

We claim:

1. In a combination lock, a knob spindle, a plurality of lock disks journaled around said knob spindle, each disk having a peripheral notch, a toothed disk adjustably connected to each lock disk, ratchet means cooperating with the toothed disks for rotating the lock disks to line up the notches therein, a locking plate fixed upon the knob spindle, a movable projection adapted to enter said notches when they are lined up, stop means upon the projection for normally preventing rotation of the knob spindle and locking plate, and means upon the locking plate for moving the projection into said notches when they are lined up whereby said stop means is moved to a position permitting the knob spindle and locking plate to be rotated.

2. In a combination lock, a knob spindle, a plurality of lock disks journaled around said knob spindle, each disk having a peripheral notch, a toothed disk adjustably connected to each lock disk, flexible spring ratchet means cooperating with the toothed disks for rotating the lock disks to line up the notches therein, a locking plate fixed upon the knob spindle, a movable projection adapted to enter said notches when they are lined up, stop means upon the projection for normally preventing rotation of the knob spindle and locking plate, and means upon the locking plate for moving the projection into said notches when they are lined up whereby said stop means is moved to a position permitting the knob spindle and locking plate to be rotated.

3. In a combination lock, a knob spindle, a plurality of lock disks journaled around said knob spindle, each disk having a peripheral notch, a toothed disk adjustably connected to each lock disk, flexible, spring ratchet means cooperating with the toothed disks for rotating the lock disks to line up the notches therein, push buttons for operating said ratchet means, curved guide tubes through which said flexible spring ratchets are slidably located, a locking plate fixed upon the knob spindle, a movable projection adapted to enter said notches when they are lined up, stop means upon the projection for normally preventing rotation of the knob spindle and locking plate, and means upon the locking plate for moving the projection into said notches when they are lined up whereby said stop means is moved to a position permitting the knob spindle and locking plate to be rotated.

4. In a combination lock, a knob spindle, a plurality of lock disks journaled around said knob spindle, each disk having a peripheral notch, a toothed disk adjustably connected to each lock disk, ratchet means cooperating with the toothed disks for rotating the lock disks to line up the notches therein, a'locking plate fixed upon the knob spindle, a movable projection adapted to enter said notches when they are lined up, stop means upon the projection for normally preventing rotation of the knob spindle and locking plate, means upon the locking plate for moving the prospindle, each disk having a peripheral notch, a

toothed disk adjustably connected to each lock disk, ratchet means cooperating with the toothed disks for rotating the lock disks to line up the notches therein, a locking plate fixed upon the knob spindle, a movable projection adapted to enter said notches when they are lined up, stop means upon the projection for normally preventing rotation of the knob spindle and locking plate, means upon the locking plate for moving the projection into said notches when they are lined up whereby said stop means is moved to a position permitting the knob spindle and locking plate to be rotated, springs for urging each disk toward the initial position, and cam means upon the locking plate for disengaging the ratchet means i from the toothed disks when the knob spindle is turned to unlocked position to permit the springs to return the disks to the initial position.

6. In a combination lock a knob spindle, a plurality of lock disks journaled around said knob spindle, each disk having a peripheral notch, a toothed disk adjustably connected to each lock disk, ratchet means cooperating with the toothed disks for rotating the lock disks to line up the notches therein, a locking plate fixed upon the knob spindle, a movable projection adapted to enter said notches when they are lined up, stop means upon the projection for normally preventing rotation of the knob spindle and locking plate, means upon the locking plate for moving the projection into said notches when they are lined up whereby said stop means is moved to a position permitting the knob spindle and locking plate to be rotated, a stop for engaging each disk in the initial position, and springs for returning the disks to contact with said stop upon each operation of the lock.

'7. In a combination lock, a knob spindle, a plurality of lock disks journaled around said knob spindle, each disk having a peripheral notch, a toothed disk adjustably connected to each lock disk, ratchet means cooperating with the toothed disks for rotating the lock disks to line up the notches therein, a locking plate fixed upon the knob spindle, a movable projection adapted to enter said notches when they are lined up, a movable pawl upon the locking plate, stop means upon the movable projection for engagement with said pawl for normally preventing rotation of the knob spindle and locking plate, said movable pawl being arranged to move the projection into said notches when they are lined up whereby the stop means is moved out of engagement with said movable pawl permitting the knob spindle and locking plate to be rotated.

LEROY S. DEAL. OMAN F. DEAL. 

